The origin of the Rebel Navy uniform is unclear. While the uniform designs of the Old Republic were adapted by the Galactic Empire, Rebel designs drew from whatever readily available sources could be found. In fact, during the earliest stages of the Rebellion, naval officers were without a standard uniform and wore whatever they had at hand. This led to an air of amateurism, which adversely affected discipline and morale. As the movement grew, so did the need for organisation and the establishment of true military discipline. To meet these demands, the ringleaders of the Rebellion introduced a common uniform to create a sense of unity and professionalism. The earliest rendition displayed no ranks to portray a sense of equality, although this eventually changed as increasingly complicated orders of battle required a clear chain of command.

Rebel Navy uniforms are light and comfortable. They also offer very little protection against blaster fire, as the naval staff are not expected to be subjected to such dangers under normal circumstances. The outfit consists of a jacket, tight trousers, a utility belt, a pair of boots and is usually made in soft, light colours such as light brown, beige and khaki. A badge is worn on the left side to indicate the rank and the service of the wearer. As the situation requires, some naval officers would wear light suits of armour over their uniforms, for example when their ship has been boarded by hostile parties.

As the Rebel Alliance gradually transformed itself from a ragtag group of dissenters into an organised political force, they eventually established themselves as a government in the Outer Rim, marking the birth of the New Republic. Since this time the uniform has remained largely unmodified from its original design.